Necessary Paradox
by Farewells
Summary: / "Better the devil you know, then the devil you don't." / In which Detective Chloe Decker finds herself recruiting Lucifer's help in locating a missing girl.


A/n: My first try with the Lucifer fandom. The show has definitely caught my attention. 

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 **Chapter: 1**

"Detective," he sung in a frivolous manner, his body slithering up beside hers with an accompanying grin. He had navigated expertly through the throngs of sweaty and intoxicated clubgoers, his eyes a lustrous glow even in the dimmed interiors of their surroundings. He was clearly delighted at her presence, his smile holding visible hints of devilish mischief. "Are you here to confess to the devil?"

"I need your help Lucifer." She was as demanding and straightforward as usual, not bothering to entertain nor even acknowledging his playful greetings.

Her eyes were enthralling, a riveting collide as she caught his gaze and held her own.

Her no-nonsense attitude was in full swing tonight, and if Lucifer had to guess, the lovely lady was here on official police business. He would have certainly preferred if she was here for personal pleasure instead; sensual gratification was something he could definitely provide; till even the next day if the dear lady so wishes.

"You humans are all the same." His lips curled impishly, a vast contrast to her emanating sternness. "Your unquenchable appetite, always demanding and wanting more than you can possibly have."

She ignored his little quip. "I don't have time to play your games Lucifer, a young woman is in danger."

"Oh? Do you wish for me to save you?" He was brimming with friskiness, she was always his favorite part of the day. "To liberate you from the forces of those truly evi-"

She pulled a crumpled photograph and shoved it rudely in his face. The person she referred to was exactly as she described, though with a few minute missing details. Blonde, beautiful, endowed. If she was displeased at the way he licked his lips, those comments were promptly left to herself.

"Detective, are we roleplaying?" his smile grew even wider. "Is she who you want me to picture while we…"

"Lucifer!" her fist balled into the front of his suit, crumpling expensive fabric beneath angry little fingers.

He growled, he loves it when she gets angry.

"She's diabetic and has been missing for forty-eight hours. Without proper treatment, she could go into severe hypoglycemia."

"And how does that affect me?" his smile vanished; an impassive stare remained, void of all concern.

"Because she was last seen by witnesses outside your club."

"And?" he asked innocently.

"Your reputation, Lucifer." She released him and took a step back. "What would people think if they knew a young girl was abducted just outside your club? They would say that you lack basic security, that your nightclub is an easy target."

"Detective!" The smile returned like it never left in the first place. "You are trying to manipulate me by playing to my hubris!" His hands clasped together in front of his chest. "I must say, it is starting to work."

"So you will help me?" she asked.

Lucifer caught the subtle change in her body language, and he had to admit, it was delightful; there was something undeniably satisfying in pleasing Chloe Decker. If only she would allow him to do so in a more different manner.

"Under one condition, Detective." He held out his hand. "A drink, afterwards, with me."

Her handshake was firm, exactly like he imagined, though his initial fantasy had her lithe fingers wrapped elsewhere around him. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind, he was supposed to be professional, after all, he was helping a detective with her case. A young pretty blonde's life was at stake.

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They headed into the back of his club, allowing her to study the security tapes on the night the girl was reported missing. There were dozens of tapes to go through, hours of recordings they had to individually watch.

Lucifer might have spent an eternity in hell, but he was quickly getting bored, insufferably so. He crooned as he poked her with the tip of a pool cue, "Detective."

She scowled, and he realized how attracted he was to her frown; from the way her eyes narrowed, down to the slight pursing of her lips. Surely he had to irritate her more often, it was getting addictive.

"What?"

She was seated in front of an old computer from the previous century, he approached her from behind, his head leaning downwards, coming to a stop dangerously close beside her own. "Why did you become a detective?"

She was an enigmatic puzzle, and he wished nothing more than to unravel her whole.

"I wanted to make a difference," she started, her attention mostly remained on the task at hand, "to-"

"Poppycock!" he exclaimed, pulling onto the chair's armrest and swiveling her seat; they were suddenly facing the other, eyes inches apart. "You wanted revenge."

His voice was heavy with venom, a most gleeful tune. "To kill the man who took the life of your father."

"How did you know about my fath-" she tried to shrink away, but the back of her seat quickly found itself pressed against the desk behind. She was completely trapped.

"I am the devil," he smiled, "there is nothing that escap-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a clenched fist shot towards the side of his cheek, sending him stumbling backwards with a surprised yelp. "Chloe!" he gasped cheerfully, "how feisty!"

She got up to her feet, there was no mistaking the anger in her glare. He noticed the way she subconsciously reached for her firearm, the unmistakable clench of her fingers. It wasn't the response he had hoped to incite from her, but a response nonetheless.

His head tilted curiously as his thumb brushed against the wound that was already starting to heal. "Did I struck a nerve?"

She exhaled heavily, her composure quickly returning, completely eradicating her previous self, drowning her under yet another immutable façade. "Lucifer, I don't have time for this."

"You have time," he corrected her, pointing to the one of the video screens behind, "she is the one that doesn't."

She turned and came face to face with a stilled image of the victim being dragged into a van by two masked men. She wasted no time in rewinding the tape, taking down every little detail of the two kidnappers followed by the license plate of the vehicle. She gave the numbers to her guy back at the precinct, the kidnappers might have switched the plates, but it was worth a try.

A few short minutes passed before her phone beeped with the GPS location of the van. She pushed past Lucifer and exited the club, entering her vehicle when he slid into the seat behind her.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Helping you punish the kidnappers, of course!" he was exuberant, perhaps a little too excited at their current situation.

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